


(marshmallow) fluff

by yeah_alright



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, honestly just nothing but domestic fluff, implied reference to the fact that Jay passed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 13:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19442791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeah_alright/pseuds/yeah_alright
Summary: Harry and Louis spend a quiet(ish) morning at home with their kids.





	(marshmallow) fluff

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "fluffy". 
> 
> Thank you to my beloved [abrighteryellow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrighteryellow/) for jumping in at the last minute to read and comment and generally for being the beautiful, encouraging sunflower she is. 
> 
> All mistakes are mine alone.

Harry breathes out a heavy sigh as he holds the knife up, frozen in place. He knows what he has to do next, but he allows himself a few moments more to mentally prepare. Finally, he fills his lungs to capacity, his chest puffing out as if to protect his heart, and moves the knife down in a swiping motion as he exhales. He shudders as the thick, white substance consumes the slice of bread - organic, whole grain bread _at least._

He drops the knife dramatically onto the counter, somehow startled by the clattering that shouts back up at him. 

Sighing again, he picks up the defiled slice, turning it over and placing it gingerly on the peanut-butter covered slice beside it. 

Fucking fluffernutter. Honestly. Who on earth is responsible for this monstrosity? _Nutter_ is certainly apt.

He shakes his head and picks up the star-shaped cookie cutter on the counter nearby, pressing it firmly into the bread before cautiously lifting it back up again. The star-shaped portion of the sandwich lifts off the counter with the metal, and Harry gingerly extracts it from the frame, careful not to press too hard into the bread lest he squish any part of it. He’ll never hear the end of it if there’s any indication that he wasn’t gentle enough. 

Harry glares at the leftover crust frame on the counter. Normally, he eats the crusts left behind by his crafty sandwich art. But not today. He can’t bring himself to ingest this particular combination. Call it marshmallow fluff all you want – hat’s off to the marketing person who came up with that trick of a name – but he’s had it enough times (precisely once) to know there’s nothing fluffy about it. Just a sticky, thick mess that sinks in your stomach and seems to latch on for dear life. 

But he’s still him. He can’t waste food. And the kids won’t eat crusts these days, however well he tries to dress them up. Who else would eat this? What poor shite-diet-having...? Harry’s lips fix themselves into a crooked smile. 

“Lou! I need you!” he bellows, placing the newest star-shaped sandwich on the plate with the others - the rest made with dreadful Wonderbread.

“Louiiiiiiiiiis!!” he cries after a few seconds with no response. 

Louis finally shuffles in in joggers and a pullover, his socked feet padding softly across the kitchen floor. “Bloody hell, Harold. What’s with the shouting this early?”

“Need a favor, please,” Harry tells him, reaching his arm out toward him, inviting him in for a quick cuddle and kiss to his hair-swept forehead. 

“What’s that, then?” Louis asks. 

“Eat that, would you?” Harry points at the star-shaped crust on the counter.

“Oi, what am I, your garbage disposal?” Louis straightens up, pulling himself out of Harry’s embrace and leans over the counter to inspect the offering more closely.

Harry pouts audibly. “Lou, please. You know I can’t eat this fluffernutter nonsense. Bad enough I had to make them. You don’t seem to hate them as much as I do. And you know the kids won’t eat the crusts.”

Louis grimaces slightly at Harry, and it turns into a yawn. 

Harry smiles, willing himself not to shake his head, lest Louis demand to know why. He’s never going to agree to eat the crusts if Harry reminds him in this moment that he loves how much he looks like a kitten when he yawns.

“Look, you get going on those crusts for me, Lou, and I’ll make you the absolute perfect cuppa. Deal?”

Louis pokes Harry as he walks over to the kettle. “You’re going to owe me more than a cuppa, but fine. And only because you let me sleep in.” Harry air kisses Louis from across the kitchen, eliciting his favorite fond expression from his husband, and sets about making his tea.

Louis gathers the four star-outlined crusts and selects one to start. 

“I really don’t know why you hate these sandwiches so much. Honestly, Hazza, they’re not half bad.” 

Harry winces. “Louis, please. It’s bad enough the kids have picked this of all things to adopt from American culture. Bloody sleepovers. Don’t you go defecting on me.”

“I mean, they’re no frosted flakes mixed with fruit loops, but they’ll do in a pinch," Louis says, popping a bite into his mouth. “Although, Christ, Harry," he groans, picking up the multi-grain crust, "Why on earth did you make one on this god-awful healthy bread?

Harry shrugs. “Had to try. Maybe Janet won’t notice.”

Right on cue, their wide-eyed daughter bounds into the kitchen.

“Daddies!” she shouts, absolutely beaming.

Louis swoops toward her and gathers her up, lifting her and her stuffed mermaid up off the tiled floor. 

“Good morning, Birthday Girl! Oof, you’ve gotten big. How old are you again, 10?” 

She squeals with laughter, kicking her legs. “Daddy! You’re being silly!”

“Louis, don’t be ridiculous. She’s nine.” Harry adds from across the kitchen.

Janet giggles again and holds her hand up, palm flexed and facing out. “Five!” She shrieks. “I’m five!”

“Ah, ‘course!” Louis replies, kissing her cheek. “How could we forget?” 

He sets her down and she runs over to Harry, throwing her arms around his legs. “Hi Papa!” 

Harry turns away from Louis’ tea cup and leans over to kiss Janet’s mop of chestnut curls. “Happy Birthday, Curly,” he says, patting her bum. “I thought you were going to wait for us to bring you breakfast in your room like a proper fancy big girl?”

Janet shrugs. “I got bored of waiting for you, Papa.” 

Harry laughs and turns back around to grab Louis’ cuppa. He walks over to the counter where Louis is sat on a stool, dutifully eating the rest of the crusts. Harry leans over to kiss his neck. “Thank you, love.” He places his cup next to him. “Here you are.” 

“Cheers, love.” Louis picks up his cup and blows on the steaming liquid. 

“Daddy! Can I have a sip of your tea?”

“Too hot, bobbin. Maybe in a bit. Go on back upstairs and get your brother, eh? Your birthday breakfast is almost ready.” 

Janet’s face breaks into a huge smile and she runs out of the kitchen, the sequins that make up her mermaid’s tale glistening as she passes through the beam of sunlight streaming in through the sky light. She manages to make it to the staircase before she starts yelling at the top of her little lungs, “Jay! My birthday breakfast is ready! I’m five! Come on!”

Harry and Louis both burst into laughter and collect the sandwiches and milk and juice and add them to the already-set table. 

“Sweet of you to make these for her, Hazza.”

“Well it was either this or pancakes, Lou, and I didn’t want to step on your domain.” 

Louis feigns insult, inhaling sharply and placing his hand palm-down on his chest. Harry breaks into a giggle and Louis scrunches his lips into an upside-down v – God does Harry ever love that – and winks at Harry before he takes a sip of his Yorkshire.

Janet races down the stairs, calling out ahead of her, “Daddies! Jay won’t come down!” in her well-practiced tattling tone. 

Louis sighs, setting down his cup. “I’ll go get him,” he says to Harry. “And you,” he says, turning to Janet. “You, my angel–” He scoops her up as soon as she’s in reach. “–get started on your birthday breakfast. No time to waste, is there?”

Janet shakes her head, dead serious. She turns toward Harry. “No time to waste, Papa! I need my birthday breakfast, please.”

Harry nods at his newly-minted 5-year old, matching her serious expression. “Right you are, Janny love. Come to me, then. We’ll get you sorted.” He stretches his arms out towards her and Louis hands her over before heading to the stairs. 

Harry carefully sets Janet onto a chair and pushes her in toward the table. He starts to pick up the multi-grain sandwich but she interrupts him. “Papa, no! Not the dirty one!” Harry drops it and laughs, “Of course not, my mistake. Apologies, madame."

Janet nods in approval.

"Here you are, sweetheart.” He places a white-bread star onto her plate and spoons some fruit salad on as well. “Milk or orange juice today, m'lady?”

“Bofe pwease!” she muffles with a smile, her mouth already stuffed with the ghastly mixture of white flour, peanut butter, and furiously processed sugar-gelatin product.

“Both it is, Birthday Girl.” Harry fills her cups and slides them near enough to her that she can reach them, but hopefully far enough from the edge of the table to avoid disaster.

“So, my darling,” Harry says, sitting next to his daughter. “Are you excited for your tea party this afternoon?”

Janet nods excitedly as she takes another bite of her sandwich. 

For this milestone birthday, her Aunt Gemma is closing down her tea room for the afternoon so Janet can have a proper tea service. She’s been absolutely bubbling with excitement over it since she first overheard Harry asking Gemma about it. Her stuffed animals, and sometimes even her sweet, patient 6-year-old brother, had been subjected to lots of practice tea parties. 

“What are you _most_ excited for?” Harry asks, his smile overtaking his face as he brushes a tangled curl back from his daughter’s face, tucking it gently behind her ear.

“My friends...and the biscuits...and the lovely teapots," she drawls, finishing with a shout as she remembers, "And my new dress!"

Her Aunt Lottie is out of the country for work, but had made Janet a dress especially for the occasion and left it with Louis and Harry to surprise her on the day. It has more bows and lace than Harry has ever seen in one place before – even in his own closet – and he had a feeling Janet was going to insist on sleeping in it tonight. Possibly for the next twenty nights. 

“All very exciting bits, to be sure,” Harry nods. “And don’t forget your gran and granddads and aunts and Uncle Ernie…”

“Will Uncle Niall not come to my party?” Janet asks, her little brows furrowing, a pout starting to form on her lips. 

“Of course, love.” Louis answers from the bottom of the stairs. “He wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Jay is trailing behind Louis, his hair somehow swept in every direction possible. 

“Oh good. We _do_ love Uncle Niall! Jay, don’t we love Uncle Niall?”

Jay nods as he catches up to Louis and tucks his sleepy head into Louis’ hip. He may be nearly two years older than his sister, but he’s twice as quiet as well. 

“Oi, sleepyhead, “ Harry says to Jay, “look what your sister’s birthday wish was for breakfast.” 

Jay peers around Louis to survey the table. His eyes go wide as they land on the plate of sandwiches and he nods at Harry, a smile slowly filling his face. 

“Thought you might like that, son.”

These abominable sandwiches had been Jay’s favorite before they were Janet’s. He’d had them at a classmate’s house one day back in L.A. – a transplant from Boston – and couldn’t talk of anything else for a week. And Janet, of course, loved nothing better than copying her big brother, so it hadn’t taken long for them to join forces against poor Harry, insisting their lives would be utterly rotten if he continued to refuse to make them for them and their mates. He has managed to limit them to special occasions, and mostly just during the few months a year they live in America. But a birthday wish is a birthday wish. And Harry had always been far worse than Louis at saying no to either of his kids’ pleading eyes. 

“These are so good, Papa!” Janet squeals. “Jay, aren’t they just _so_ good?”

Having sat down and immediately stuffed nearly half of one into his mouth in one bite, Jay simply nods. 

“Daddy," Janet says, turning her attention to Louis. "Did you know Papa used to be a baker?”

“Is that right, love? Had no idea.” Louis smirks at Harry and Harry beams back, unbothered. “Papa’s never mentioned that to me. You must be quite special.”

Janet nods in agreement. “Is that why he makes such yummy sandwiches?”

“Mmm, I’d say so, love.” 

“And I’ve got lots and lots of practice cooking for your Daddy,” Harry adds with a wink. 

Janet and Jay are too occupied with their breakfast to notice the exchange of looks their dads give each other. 

The next ten minutes are a blissfully calm medley of children chewing, dads sipping tea and coffee, and occasional buzzy interludes courtesy of Janet peppering her brother and dads with questions about her party. 

“Alright, sweethearts,” Louis says as his children slurp the last of their milk. He stands from the table, taking the kids’ empty plates and walking them to the sink. “Fancy a kickabout in the garden before we have to start getting ready for the big party?”

“Yay!!!” The deafening chorus is honestly impressive coming from just two small children. “Can we play in our pyjamas?” Janet shouts.

“Of course. What else would you wear?” Harry answers. 

The children cheer and jump up and down then rush to the back door. “Thank you, Papa!” Janet calls. 

Louis rolls his eyes. “Such a pushover, Curly.” 

“Daddy, come on! Papa said we don’t have to change!” Janet yells back at Louis. 

“Alright, alright, coming! One second, you maniacs.” 

Louis walks over to Harry, who’s just stood up, and blocks his path back to the kitchen.

“Can I help you, Lewis?” Harry asks, his eyebrow raised.

“Aye, maybe you heard. Got a game outside. Wish me luck?”

Harry reaches out his hand and gently brushes Louis’ fringe out of his shining blue eyes. He leans in and presses a long, soft kiss to his husband’s lips as Louis reaches his arms around his waist, pulling him close. 

Harry pulls out of the kiss, his lips lingering just shy of Louis’. “Good luck, love,” he whispers. He leans his forehead against Louis’ and adds, “No mercy.” Louis laughs and pulls away. “‘Course not. Just because they’re children?”

He walks over to the back door and pulls his trainers on. “Coming outside with us?”

“Mmm, in a minute. Want to clean up a bit. Get started on the cupcakes for the party.”

“Don’t clean up, Haz. I’ll do all that later.”

Harry smiles. _Sure he will._

He knows Louis means it in this moment, but he also knows Louis will play consummate host at the party, ensuring Gemma doesn’t have to do everything just because she’s offered her tea room, that all the family members and kids’ parents are having a good time too, that Jay and his mates are enjoying themselves at their own private table. He knows that he’ll offer to carry a sure-to-be sleeping Janet in from the car when they get home and will carefully wake her when it’s time, and that he’ll insist on handling bathtime and storytime and bedtime so Harry can relax after the party. Harry knows his husband will end up exhausted once the kids are finally down and proclaim the dishes can wait ‘til tomorrow and how about they just enjoy the quiet, cuddle up on the couch with a beer, and watch some telly ‘til they fall asleep? And he knows that will sound like the perfect way to end this great, big day.

“Oi, Hazza,” Louis calls back softly as he opens the door to join the kids, who are already excitedly kicking the football back and forth, “thanks for taking care of breakfast, love.”

“Thanks for taking care of _us,_ Lou.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <333 Tumblr post is [here](https://uhohmorshedios.tumblr.com/post/186003685445) if you're inclined to share. 
> 
> To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/fluffy), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1 and 2), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/185709101043/wordplay-2019-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).
> 
> Thank you to [lululawrence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/) for organizing!


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